One soldier, 13 PKK militants killed in Turkey's southeast

ANKARA - The Associated Press

AA file photo

One Turkish soldier and 13 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in two separate clashes in Turkey's southeast today.

The troops killed nine militants in Bingöl province, state-run TRT television reported. 

Four other militants were killed in a hot pursuit following a PKK attack on a military outpost on the Iraqi border, said Gov. Muammer Türker of Hakkari province. Twenty-year-old Sgt. Metin Çetin was killed and six other soldiers were wounded in that PKK attack near the town of Çukurca.

The violence comes less than a week after Turkish warplanes bombed three suspected PKK targets in northern Iraq, used by the militants to stage hit and run attacks on Turkish targets. 

This year, Turkey has launched dozens of air raids on suspected PKK bases and other targets in northern Iraq and along the Turkish side of the mountainous border.

The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, which has supplied Predator drones to Turkey to assist its fight.

The government held secret talks with representatives from the PKK in 2010 and left the door open for future dialogue with the PKK while vowing to maintain its military drive until they lay down arms.